Biography of Clarence S. Crary

Mr. Clarence S. Crary is not only a banker, but has in the comparatively few years of his business career, earned the title of “Builder of Banks.” Mr. Crary is the Cashier of the Bank of Burlingame, and resides in Burlingame, where he is prominently identified with the business and social life of that city, being the Treasurer of the Burlingame Commercial Club and the Treasurer of the Merchants’ Association of San Mateo and Burlingame. He is also a member of the San Mateo lodge of Elks, and a member of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity at Stanford University, where he graduated with the class of 1903.

Mr. Crary was born in Boone, Iowa March 30, 1879 and attended preparatory school at Grinnell, Iowa, where he went to Grinnell College prior to entering Stanford University, California. Upon graduation, he accepted a position with the St. Francis Hotel as Assistant Clerk.

Shortly before the San Francisco fire he left the hotel to enter the real estate business where he was associated with Bovee Toy & Co., San Francisco.

His first step in the banking business came after this. From 1906 to 1908 he was cashier of the Mayfield bank. From there he went to the Merchants National Bank of San Francisco where he remained a year in the capacity of Assistant Cashier of their Fillmore Street Branch, and was promoted to receiving teller of the main bank on Market Street.

About this time, Clinton E. Worden of the First National Bank of San Francisco was establishing banks in and about the oil fields, and sought out Mr. Crary to assist him in this work. This string of banks included Maricopa, Taft, Wasco, Bakersfield and Richmond, California. During this period Mr. Crary erected two bank buildings in the oil fields.

In addition to assisting in the organization of these banks, Mr. Crary occupied the position of Assistant Cashier of the First National Bank of Maricopa. Later he assisted in the organization of the First National Bank of Taft of which he was cashier. From Taft he came to assume the position he now holds with the Bank of Burlingame, of which he is a large stockholder. During the time lie has been with this local bank, which is practically three years, the bank’s business has just doubled in volume. Mr. Crary’s brother, Charles J. Crary is also in the banking business, being Vice-President of the First National Bank of Richmond, California.

Locations:

Collection:

Alexander, Philip W.; Hamm, Charles P. History of San Mateo County from the Earliest Times: With a Description of Its Resources and Advantages: and the Biographies of Its Representative Men. San Mateo County, California: Press of Burlingame Publishing Company. 1916.